sorry, but sometimes i get the strong urge to just throw something out there:

singers, memorize those lyrics !!!

there’s nothing more ridiculous and shameful than someone on stage reading from a sheet or, even worse, a whole folder. it does not only show that you have no idea what you’re doing, in my opinion it’s also like insulting everybody in the audience, slapping spitting them in the face. maybe they even spent their hard earned money to see you there and you don’t even think it’s worth learning a few lyrics. show them a little respect. and, let’s not forget, you’d only need to learn them once. i’m often amazed that i even remember all those maiden- and priest-songs i learned inside out when i was 15 or even younger. brains are cool.

but besides looking stupid and as so-not-pro as it gets, there’s some other reasons as well. it’s not coincidence that we say ‘to play an instrument’. the idea is to know your part well enough to be able to play with it, improvise, do what you want – this is art, not some freaking reading-out-loud-contest. being yourself is the only way it works (this can be good or bad news ;-) )

being able to play is a wonderful thing but it requires knowing your part (except free improvisation of course) and, even better, the parts of the others as well. this will take you up to the next level.

and to all non-singers and singers who know all of their songs (covers as well…). the next time you see someone who brings a folder to the stage, point at him and laugh out as loud as you can. that’ll teach them!